The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan

Forever Young

Chapter 4 takes a full detour away from Ramanujan and focuses on G. H. Hardy. Kanigel gives a detailed portrait of Hardy’s physical features and mentions that although he was an attractive man, Hardy did not view himself as such. Hardy was a devout atheist and had earned himself a reputation as a math genius. Hardy’s outward behavior often clashed with his natural temperament. For example, he would not shake hands and hated small talk, but he was also considered charming by many who knew him. Importantly, Hardy was brought up in a newly forming middle class and was not considered part of Britain’s gentrified class.

Horseshoe Lane

Kanigel continues his discussion of Hardy, including his childhood and some of the historical backdrop, namely the growth of new public schools meant to serve the growing middle class. One of these schools was Cranleigh, where Hardy would attend, an experience that would shape how he viewed people. Kanigel provides anecdotal evidence supplied by longtime Hardy friend C. P. Snow that Hardy’s schoolteacher parents were demanding of him and his sister Gertrude. Hardy appeared to have a natural gift for mathematics, having shown this knack as early as two years old. Hardy left Cranleigh to pursue a scholarship at the historic and elite Winchester at age 12.